Los Angeles -- Shotgun Software has released Shotgun 5.3 featuring a new, integrated Shotgun Client Review Site. This toolset enables creative companies to share media with clients or anyone outside the studio securely, with one click, through free, unlimited client accounts, to desktops or mobile devices. All client feedback is automatically tracked and recorded in Shotgun. The Shotgun Client Review Site replaces a time- and labor-intensive process with a single click, for both studios and their clients.

"Shotgun with the Client Review Site is the best of both worlds —we have exactly what we want with shot tracking and exactly what we want with client review,” said VFX Producer Mike Gaines, who beta tested the Shotgun Client Review Site in production on episodic TV shows. “Being able to have both in the same workflow so that the client can give us a note, and it goes automatically into the Shotgun database, is the perfect synergy of those two things. Clients are loving it too. Before, we were emailing links to download files back and forth and some people couldn't play files and it was a big mess. Tracking notes and approvals in addition to that was mind-numbing. This has been a godsend for us to keep everything in one place. Shotgun is now a one-stop-shop for all of our tracking and client review needs, and it all talks to each other, keeping everyone on the same page."

How it Works:

Sharing: Since your media is already in Shotgun, simply drop media to be reviewed directly into the Shotgun browser using the Shotgun Media tool, add it to a playlist and click ‘share.’ The playlist is published directly to a secure page of the studio’s site designed specifically for client presentations and an email is sent to the client. Work can be shared to as many clients as needed via unlimited free client accounts.

Reviewing: The client gets an email featuring the studio’s branding and a link to access the playlist, which they can view from their desktop or mobile device. They see a simple layout and can comment with notes or even draw directly on the frames.

Automatic Notes Integration: The studio is notified as soon as the client makes a comment. Client notes and annotated frames come right back into Shotgun automatically, linked and addressed to the right people, with permission options in place for who can see them so feedback can be clarified before it hits the production floor. There’s no need to import notes from multiple spreadsheets or email.

“Our focus is to remove the friction that keeps production from moving as fast as possible, and it was clear that studios reviewing work with their clients was a labor intensive and frustrating bottleneck,” said Shotgun CEO Don Parker. “The Shotgun Client Review Site turns that time consuming process into a single click, helping studios speed up their iteration cycles with their clients. We’re pleased to deliver this toolset at no extra cost to all Shotgun subscribers.”

Also New in Shotgun 5.3

In addition to the Client Review Site, Shotgun 5.3 delivers Playlist Locking to help prevent unexpected changes to the playlist, and significant UI and performance enhancements to the Screening Room web player. An updated frame/time remaining counter and audio mute button, and re-orientation of action menus to the timeline provide more fluid usability, while progressive media loading and enhanced buffering deliver faster playback in the browser.

The Shotgun Client Review Site, as part of Shotgun 5.3, is available today as a free software update to all current Shotgun customers. Learn more and see a video tour here: shotgunsoftware.com/ClientReviewSite.

Source: Shotgun

Jennifer Wolfe is Director of News & Content at Animation World Network.